Wire-stretcher.



H. T. WHEELER.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19. 1916.

1 ,1 97,081? Patented Sept. 5, 191.6.

LNVENTOR fimc ZWWzw/w' WITNESSES ATTOR N EV HORACE 'I. WHEELER, OF GRIDLEY, KANSAS.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Application filed May 19, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

3e it known that I, HORACE T. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gridley, in the county of Coffey and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in vVire-Stretchers, of which the following is a' specification.

This invention relates to a wire stretcher and particularly to devices of this character which are employed for stretching a strand of wire from one fence post to another while constructing a wire fence.

The invention further aims to provide a wire stretcher which will have means for stretching the wire whereby a minimum amount of exertion will be required on the part of the operator, the stretching operation being accomplished by a crank motion.

As a further object of the invention the device is provided with pulleys or sheaves over which the strand of Wire is threaded for lessening the tension on the crank by which the device is operated.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a wire stretcher which consists of comparatively few parts and is simple in construction, but durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which devices of this character are ordinarily subjected.

For a full description of the invention and the advantages and merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view. Fig. 2 is a Vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one end of the gripping jaw.

The fence post is indicated at A and the device is adapted to be mounted upon the post at the point at which it is desired to attach the wire strand which constitutes a part of the fence under construction. A top plate 1 and a bottom plate 2 are of substantially rectangular formation and are spaced apart for a slight distance for receivlng one end of the gripping jaw designated in its entirety by the numeral 3. One end of each of the plates 1 and 2 is provided with a plurality of serrations or teeth 4: designed to engage the post A for preventing the device from slipping while it is in operation. The plates 1 and 2 are fastened together with a plurality of fastening ele- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 98,606.

ments 5 and are provided with central longitudinally extending slots 6 for a purpose presently described.

The gripping jaw 3 is of substantially semi-circular formation at one end whereby it may be extended around the post A to the side opposite to that which is engaged by the teeth A of the plates. The portion of the curved end of the gripping jaw which engages the post is also provided with a plurality of teeth or serrations 7 for preventing the gripping jaw from slipping while in operation. As shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing the gripping jaw has an integrally formed enlarged end 8 which is of rectangular formation and provided with central slot 9 in which is disposed a sheave or pulley 10 'rotatably mounted on a shaft 11 the ends of which are journaled in the sides of the memher 8. The end 8 of the gripping jaw is mounted between the plates 1 and 2 and disposed in a position whereby the pulley 10 will extend into the longitudinal slots 6 of the plates. Rotatably mounted on the pivot bolt 5 is a sheave or pulley 12 mounted in a manner that will allow the periphery of the sheave to be in longitudinal alinement with the center of the pulley 10 as shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing. The pulley 1.2 is also adapted to extend outwardly beyond the edges of the plates 1 and 2 whereby it will be free to receive the strand of wire for stretching the same.

A pair of cars 13 are carried by the upper plate 1 and have a shaft or Windlass lejournaled therein for rotation and a crank 15 is secured to one end of the shaft whereby the shaft may be manually rotated. A ratchet wheel 16 is secured to the shaft and a pawl 17 is mounted on the plate in a manner that will allow it to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel for preventing the backward rotation of the shaft during the stretching operation.

The strand of wire B is placed around the pulley 12 which will thereby place the strand in a position where it may be easily and quickly attached to the post A when it is stretched to the desired tension. From the pulley 12 the wire is threaded through an aperture or slot 18 formed in the lower plate 2 and led around the pulley 10 and has its free end secured to the shaft 1 1. By rotating the shaft, through the movement of the crank 15, the wire will be wound upon the shaft and pulled over the pulleys 10 and 12 for stretching it to the desired tension and by this double pulley connection it will be I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of construction,proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wire stretcher, the combination with a fence post and a strand of wire, of a frame comprising top and bottom plates arranged in spaced relation and having their ends contacting with said post, of a gripping element arranged in the spacebetween said. plate, said plates provided with longitudinal slots,a pulley carried by said gripping element and extending into said slots, the said strand of wire being extended through said slots and passed around said pulley, a second pulley carried by said plates and receiving the strand of wire, and means carried by said frame and connected to one end of said wire and adapted tovbe manually operated for exerting a pull on said wire.

2. In a wire stretcher,'the combination with a fence post and a strand of wire, of a frame comprising top and bottom plates arranged in spaced relation and having their ends: contacting with said post, of a gripping element loosely disposed in the space between said plates, and means carried by said plates and said gripping element and cooperating with said strand of wire for causing said gripping element and said plates to tightly engage said post when a pull is ex erted on the said wire.

3. In, a wire stretcher, the combination with a fence post and a strand of wire, of a frame comprising top and bottom plates arranged in spaced relation and having their ends contacting with said post, of a gripping element loosely disposed in the space Copies of this patent may be obtained for between said plates, means carried by said plates and said gripping element and cooperating with said strand of wire for causing said gripping element and said plates to tightly engage said post when a pull is exerted on the said wire, and means carried by said frame and adapted to be manually operated for exerting a pull on said wire strand.

4. In a wire stretcher, the combination with a fence post and a strand of wire, a frame comprising top and bottom plates arranged in spaced relation, a plurality of serrations formed on the edges of each of said plates and engaging said post, a gripping aw comprising a semi-circular portion having serrations for engaging said post the opposite end of said gripping jaw loosely arranged in the space between said plates, means carried by said plates and by said frame and cooperating with said strand of wire, and means carried by said frame and connected to the free end of said wire for exerting a pull on said wire whereby said first mentioned means will cause said gripping element and the ends of said plate to tightly grip the post.

5. A wire stretcher comprising a pair of rectangular plates arranged in superposed relation and provided with longitudinal slots, a gripping jaw having a semi-circular portion formed at one end and an enlarged rectangular portion formed at its opposite end, said enlarged portion provided with a slot, a pulley carried by said enlarged portion and disposed in the slot therein, said enlarged portion being arranged in the spaces between said plates and having said pulley positioned in said longitudinal slots formed in said plates, a strand of wire, a Windlass mounted upon said frame and connected to one end of said wire, guide means carried by the frame for receiving said strandof wire whereby said pulley and said guide means will cause said frame and said jaw to move toward each other when the windlass is rotated.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE T. \VHEELER. \Vitnesses 1 L. D. FUNK, F; M. FLEMING.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

